Dispensing container for acetylene and method for storing acetylene



Dec. 2, 1947. R. c. BOUR DISPENSING CONTAINER FOR Filed Nov. 25, 1944 'JVEfi/UP I ROBERT C. BouR a a W UNITED STATE Patented Dec. 2, 1947 DISPENSING CONTAINER FOR ACE'IYLENE AND METHOD FOR STORING ACE'I'YLENE Robert C. Bour, Chicago, Ill.,assignor to National Cylinder Gas Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application November 23, 1944, Serial No. 564,902

11 Claims. (Q1. 206-0.?)

This invention relates to 'thdstoring of acety lene under pressure in cylinders or receptacles. filled with a solid absorbent material impregnated with an acetylene solvent. Hitherto the charged.

cylinders.

discharge of acetylene.

employed as the solvent. For instance, in the case of a cylinder containing the above identified conventional filler impregnated with 46.7 pounds diethyl carbonate having dissolved therein 20 pounds acetylene, 14.2 pounds acetylene was discharged within 4V hours with a, loss 01' only 0.01

Similar results are obtained in the case of the The accompanying drawing is a side elevational section, of an acetylene container according tov As shown, the container intaining not more than six carbon atoms. Charg- Many details of composition and procedure may be varied within a wide range without departing 1. Means for storing acetylene under pressure 2. Means for storing acetylene under pressure 3. In combination, a receptacle capable of be- 4. In combination, a receptacle capable of being closed and of withstanding internal pressure,.

solvent used for this purpose has been acetone, but the use of this substance is associated with pounds or diethyl carbonate. When the same cert in di va a s ri in f o 1 ready cylinder was impregnated with 38 pounds acetone Volatility. F r i n e. on rapi di h r e of and charged with 20.9 pounds of acetylene, the acetylene from a filled cylinder as much as 3% discharge of 14.3 pounds acetylene in 4 /2 hours or 4% of the acetone is lost.'- Further, chilling was accompanied by a loss of 1 pound of acetone. oi the cylinder due to evaporation of acetone on discharge of acetylene cools the cylinder to the other disclosed carbonate acid esters. point where the solubility of the acetylene in the acetone is appreciably increased. As a conseview, with parts shown in vertical longitudinal quence, relatively large amounts of acetylene gas are retained in the cylinder i st ad of being disthe present invention. In the drawing, the container is generally indicated by the reference It is therefore an important object of the numeral It. present invention to provide improved means and cludes a generally cylindrical or tubular metal methods for storing acetylene under pressure in container having walls H and filled with a solid absorbent material !2 impregnated with an ester A more specific object of the present invention of carbonic acid derived from an alcohol con is to provide novel solvents for acetylene that are not lost from a pressure cylinder on rapid ing and discharging is effected through an uppermost bifurcated hollow neck portion is contain- Other and further objects and features of the ing, in the vertical branch thereof, a needle valve present invention will become apparent from the (not shown) or the like, for controlling the flow following disclosure and appended claims. of gas through the neck ahead of the biiurcatio According to the present invention, acetylene and through the other branch. is stored under pressure in cylinders or receptacles containing a suitable porous absorbent such as the filler disclosed in the patent to Smith No. from the principles of this invention, and it is 1,332,525 comprising Portland cement, diatomacetherefore not my intention to limit the patent ous earth, asbestos fiber, charcoal and water. granted on this invention otherwise than necessi- This or some other equivalent absorbent filler is tated by the scope of the appended claims. impregnated with a solvent for acetylene which is selected from the esters of carbonic acid derived comprising a receptacle containing a lid abfrom alcohols containing not more than six sorbent impregnated with an ester of carbonic carbon atoms. Examples of such esters are diacid derived from an alcohol containing not more methyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, dia'sopropyl 40 than 6 carbon atoms. carbonate, dibutyl carbonate, diamyl carbonate, dihexyl carbonate and dibenzyl carbonate; Dicomprising a receptacle containing a solid abethyl carbonate is the preferred solvent. sorbent impregnated with diethylcarbonate.

As is usual in acetylene storage techniqe, the gas should be dried before contact with a solvent; ing closed and of withstanding internal pressure, preferably it should be passed over calcium a packing of solid absorbent impregnated with chloride before and after compression. The usual a solvent comprising an ester of carbonic acid pressures may be employed, namely from 10 to 30 derived from an alcohol containing not more atmospheres. The amount of acetylene dissolved than 6 carbonatoms, and acetylene in solution in is the same as that usually taken up by convensaid solvent under pressure. tional volatile solvents such as acetone. The loss of carbonate ester solvents on rapid discharge of acetylene from storage cylinders is a packing of solid absorbent impregnated with but a-iraction oi the loss noted when acetone is dimethyl carbonate, and acetylene in solution in said dimethyl carbonate under pressure.

5. In combination, a receptacle capable of being closed and of withstanding internal pressure, a packing of solid absorbent impregnated with diethyl carbonate, and acetylene in solution in said diethyl carbonate under pressure.

6. In combination, a receptacle capable of'being closed and of withstanding internal pressure, a packing of solid absorbent material impregnated with di-isopropyl carbonate, and acetylene in solution in the di-isopropyl carbonate under pressure.

'7. The method of storing acetylene which comprises providing a solid absorbent, impregnating the solid absorbent with an ester of carbonic acid derived from an alcohol containing not more than six carbon atoms and dissolving acetylene in the impregnated absorbent.

8. The method of storing acetylene which comprises providing a solid absorbent, impregnating the solid absorbent with dimethyl carbonate and dissolving acetylene in the impregnated absorbent.

9. The method of storing acetylene which comprises providing a solid absorbent, impregnating the solid absorbent with diethyl carbonate and dissolving acetylene in the impregnated absorbent.

10. The method of storing acetylene which comprises providing a solid absorbent, impregnating the solid absorbent with di-isopropyl carbonate and dissolving acetylene in the impregnated absorbent.

11. The method of storing acetylene which comprises providing a porous absorbent material bonded with Portland cement, impregnating said absorbent material with a carbonic acid ester derived from an alcohol containing not more than six carbon atoms and passing acetylene under pressure into contact with the impregnated absorbent material. I

ROBERT C. BOUR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

